Feed & Additive Magazine Issue 2 March 2021

SPECIAL STORY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE March 2021 63 Canada), it is allowed to use BSF larvae meal in aquaculture feeds. There is no mention of mealworm products yet. Europe is renowned for being extremely cau- tious regarding the use of processed animal pro- teins (PAPs) in animal feed since the last episode of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). Nevertheless, in 2017, the EU Commission has lifted the ban concerning the use of insect-derived proteins for aquaculture only [(EU)2017/893]. This regulation includes seven insect species, in- cluding both BSF and mealworm, and providing that the farmed insects are fed with safe au- thorised substrates (i.e plant-origin products, blood products and hydrolysed proteins or gelatine and collagen from non-ruminants, eggs, dietary products and fishmeal). In other countries in Asia or Africa, there are no official restrictions in place and insects are traditionally fed to livestock and pets. How- ever, with the exception of China, the main insect producing companies worldwide tend to follow the European regulations, in particular regarding the feedstocks used to farm insects. UPSCALING These regulatory breakthroughs have triggered the global development of the insect farming industry. Since 2017, massive investments are being secured by companies farming BSF or mealworms on every continent with projects as big as 100,000 tons of insect protein a year. As of today, total investments amount to over USD1.2 millions and strategic part- nership with feed producing and engineering com- panies are strengthening the development of the industry. A significant scale-up is now essential to meet the demand of the aquafeed industry in terms of vol- umes but also in terms of quality consistency and price competitiveness compared to conventional sources of proteins and other alternatives. This re- mains one of the main challenges to tackle. About Dr. Emilie DEVIC Being one of the pioneers of the Black Soldier Fly industry, I have forged my expertise over the last 10 years through various projects globally (Indonesia, Ghana, Malaysia). With a background in agronomy and aquaculture, my professional commitments are driven by the current challenges of the aquafeed industry. I am now leading the R&D team at Entofood in Malaysia, allying job and passion and strengthening my commitments to sustainability. Black Soldier Fly, larvae stages © ENTOFOOD Comparative summary of 3 protein sources for aquaculture: Fishmeal • Nutritional value • Palatability • No longer sustainable • Availability • Price Advantages Limitations Soybean meal Insect meal • Price • Availability • Anti-nutritional factors • Poor palatability • Mycotoxin risks • No longer sustainable • Sustainability • Nutritional value • Palatability • Nutraceutical benefits • FA profile • Availability • Price